Boot and shoe tree.



I PATBNTBD o0T.8.,19o5. M. O'GARROLL. BooT AND SHOE TRBB.

APPLICATION TLED SEPT. 9,1004.

WIT/45335.?

MICHAEL O,CARROLL, OF COACHFORD, IRELAND.

BOOT AND SHOE TREE.

No. 801,01io.

Specificaton of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 3, 1905.

Application filed September 9, 1904. Serial No. 223,839.

T0 a wltom, it 77m1/ concrn:

and the object thereof is to provide an im-.

proved device of this class which is simple in construction and operation and which may be conveniently inserted into a boot or shoe whenever desired and as conveniently removed therefrom whenever necessary and which will hold the boot or shoe in proper form when not in use.

The invention is fully disclosed in the following specification, of which the accompanying drawings form a part, in which the separate parts of my improvement are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views, and in which- Figure l is a sectional side view of my improved boot or shoe tree; Fig. 2, a similar view showing a modification, and'Fig. 3 a plan view thereof.

In the practice of my invention, as shown in Fig. 1, I provide a boot or shoe tree comprising a front or toe portion a and a back or heel portion the adjacent surfaces of which are Vertical and parallel. To the bottom adjacent surface of the parts a and Z) of my improved boot or shoe tree are secured plates c and (Z, this connection being made by screws, pins, or bolts 02 and (22 or in any desired manner, and each of said plates c and d is curved inwardly to form shanks 03 and (Z3, which are crossed and pivotally connected at e and formed into handle-levers o* and d, which project above the top portions (f and 62 of the parts ay and Z) of the boot or shoe tree and are preferably curved in opposite directions, as shown at 05 and d. Between the plates c and (Z is placed a spiral spring f, the opposite ends of which are secured to said plates in any desired manner, and this spring n'ormally serves to hold the separate parts a and b of the boot or shoe tree in the position shown in Fig. l. Vhenever it is desired to insert this tree into a boot or shoe, the handle-levers o* and d* are grasped in one hand, the

boot or shoe is held in the other hand, and the tree is inserted into the said boot or shoe in the usual manner, after which the handle-levers o* and d* are released and the spring f operates to force the front or toe portion a into the body or toe portion of the boot or shoe, as will be readily understood, and the force of the spring is such as to cause the front or toe portion a of the tree to be forced firmly into the toe portion of the boot or shoe and to hold the boot or shoe in proper form.

The construction shown in Fig. 2 is the same as that shown in Fig. 1, with the eXception that in Fig. 2 a plate-spring gis substituted for the spiral spring f, and this spring is secured at one end to the plate c in the form of construction shown, and the other end thereof is curved and bears on the adjacent side of the shank (ZS of the plate d, and the operation of this form of construction will be similar in all respects to that shown in Fig. 1.

The parts a and b of my improved boot or shoe tree may be composed of any desired material, and it will be understood that my improved boot or shoe tree is made of different styles' and sizes to correspond with the various styles and sizes of the boots and shoes in use.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

A boot or shoe tree, comprising a front or toe part and a back or heel part, plates secured to the opposing faces of said parts and at the bottom thereof and provided at their upper ends with upwardly -directed and inwardly-curved and crossed shanks which are pivotally connected and extended to form handles or levers which project above the separate parts of the boot or shoe tree and bear on the top portions thereof, and an expandimg-spring placed between said plates, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name, in presence of the subscribing witnesses, this lst day of August, 1904.

MICHAEL OlCARROLL.

Witnesses:

ERNALD SIMPsoN MosELEY, MALooLM SMETHURST. 

